Setting the Record Straight
by ReadingGirl24
Summary: Charles and Captain Frances Westcott have known each other since they were kids; meeting again as adults at the 4077th makes things interesting to say the least. A trip to the 8063rd goes awry, and the two finally come to a conclusion. A work in progress-this chapter comes in in the middle of the story-stay tuned for Prequels and Sequels. Please read and review!


Frances walked across the camp, wringing her hands in anticipation of the conversation to come. She had been justified this morning when she had yelled at Charles...He had been a complete jack-ass for months, and she had only gone out of the hut to scout their location and to leave some clues for any would-be rescuers (a move that had probably saved them). It had been a rough night, and she had lost her temper, and it was for this more than anything else that she was about to apologize. She tapped on the door of the VIP tent, hoping he wasn't already asleep.

"Major?"

"Yes?"

"It's Frances...can I come in?"

The door swung open.

"Hello...Major."

"Captain."

"I was coming over to make sure you were settled...and comfortable. Can I come in?"

"Of course."

Frances took in the sparsely decorated tent usually reserved for important guests-there wasn't room with any of the other doctors, so the VIP tent had been made up quickly; Frances was bunking with the nurses, most of whom had gone off to the Officer's Club for nightly drinks and dancing. Charles was still in his uniform, and a few books were strewn on the bed.

"This is nice...are you feeling better?"

"Yes, thank you-and you...are you settled in comfortably?"

"Yes...the nurses are very nice. They actually invited me over to the Officer's Club, but I think I've had enough excitement for one day. I wanted to make sure you were doing okay. " Frances paused for a minute, thinking briefly that it would be so easy to stop there, say goodnight, and be done with it...but she was concerned that all that had happened would negatively impact their so-far excellent working relationship, so she took a deep breath and continued.

"Charles...I want to apologize for yelling at you this morning. It was inappropriate of me...and incredibly insubordinate...and childish...and I just want to say that I'm sorry. My only excuse is that I was tired and overwrought...I hope you can forgive me. We work together so well...I just don't want anything to interfere with that, and I hope you can...overlook...my outburst."

(There! That wasn't so bad). She waited for what seemed like forever for a response...

"Captain...Frances. There's no need to apologize. You were completely justified in your response to the situation, particularly given our circumstances...and everything you said was absolutely correct."

Frances was taken aback completely. She expected forgiveness-coolly given, perhaps even reluctantly given-but this?

"But you know that your accusations are accurate...don't you?" he asked.

"Well, yes...but I didn't know that you knew. And no matter what, I shouldn't have yelled at you."

Charles took a deep breath; Frances thought perhaps he was finished speaking, but he continued.

"I have been...distant...the last few months, and for that, I owe you an apology-I feel as if you deserve a full explanation-please, have a seat."

He pulled out a chair from the corner and sat down, and gestured for Frances to sit on the bed.

"As you say, we have an excellent working relationship. You are one of the best nurses I've ever worked with."

Frances blushed. "Thank you...that means a lot coming from you".

"It's true. I don't dole out undeserved praise. You are an excellent nurse. I'm not sure if it's because we've known each other for so long, or if you're just that talented, but you seem to be able to anticipate my every need during surgery almost before I can."

"Thank you...I suspect it's some of both. I know I'm good at what I do, but having known you for so long certainly has its advantages. Major Houlihan said that you ask to work with me?"

"I do...I like to work with the best."

"So you acknowledge that I'm good at what I do...but then outside of work, you barely speak to me...and when you do, you treat me like I'm 12, running around after you with skinned-up knees and pigtails! I don't understand..."

"No...I know it doesn't make any sense. I think it's just been...safer...for me to think of you as perpetually 12 than to acknowledge the fact that you're a grown, desirable woman."

Frances again felt her face flush with warmth. "You think of me that way? I thought you didn't want to be around me...that I was...lacking in some way...or that I was a bother to you..."

"Please...don't ever think that. You have to understand...to me, you are perfection. You are...intelligent, beautiful, interesting, witty...all the things that would make me a perfect companion."

Frances felt as if her heart would explode and she noticed that her mouth was dry and the blanket she was sitting on was rough...

"I still don't understand..."

"It's my...history, you see...with relationships. I'm not very good at them."

"Charles, how can you say that? You have a family that adores you...your sister..."

"...Yes, but they are my family...There hasn't been anyone...special...in my life in a long time. I suppose...I've been afraid of letting anyone else in...but especially you...I don't want to make a mistake...to lose you completely from my life..."

He stopped and ran his hands through his hair; Frances had known him for so many years and never had he been so open with her about his feelings. She wanted to reassure him.

"Charles...I've known you for 20 years. You've made mistakes before and you'll make them again, but you'll never lose me from your life. I promise. And... just because you haven't had a relationship in a while doesn't mean you're not good at them! You're just...discerning. Particular. That's a good quality, you know. Unlike our Captain Pierce, who's interested in anything that's female and breathing..."

"He's quite taken with you, as well..."

"You see what I mean? Female and breathing...Besides, he's also good at wanting what he can't have, and he is definitely not my type."

There was a heavy silence in the room before Charles asked quietly,"And who is your type?"

Frances looked up at him, confidently. "You are."

There was a foot locker next to his chair, and she moved over to sit on it to be closer to him. His admission, which she knew was so difficult for him, had emboldened her. "I've had very strong feelings for you for a long time, you know. I thought I had gotten over them...but then I saw you that night in the Officer's Club...so miserable and depressed...and it all came rushing back. I knew I was in trouble."

Voices wafted through the air, and the sound of music from the Club came with the night breeze. She brought her hand up to his cheek and rested it there for a moment...it was the happiest she had been in months. The kiss they shared was the culmination of months (perhaps years) of frustration and longing and it made Korea, with all it's misery and filth, disappear. The slamming of a door and drunken voices from the adjacent tent jolted them apart. Frannie didn't want to speak for fear that the moment would disappear...but already, reality was settling in. She glanced at the clock.

"What if the nurses come back? They'll be wondering what happened to me...I told them I was going straight to bed..." She thought reluctantly of the cot she would be sleeping in, in a room full of strangers. As tired as she had been a few hours ago, she felt as if she never again needed to sleep.

"So...let them wonder. Where were we?"

After a few more minutes, Frannie could barely think straight. If Charles had asked her to move to the other side of the planet, she would have agreed...

"It's late. I should be going."

"I don't want you to go...but your'e probably right. We don't need gossip here as well as at home. So..." Charles took both her hands in his...they were soft and strong and warm and made her whole body tingly. "...Where do we go from here?"

"Well...I think we can take this slowly...and I don't think we have to tell anyone anything, although trying to have a relationship in that place that no one knows about is like lighting a match in a rainstorm...and, I think we need to do a lot more of this..." She kissed him again, the warm glow spreading through her once more, like a drug that makes you pleasantly drowsy and relaxed.

"I agree...on all counts. I don't want to sneak around like we're doing something wrong, though...We are adults, and as long as we maintain a degree of professionalism..."

"Of course..."

He continued to kiss her hair, her neck...it was intoxicating and wonderful...

"If I don't leave right this minute, I'm not going to...and just imagine the scandal we'll have in the morning."

"You, as usual, are absolutely correct. I won't detain you any longer...I'll see you in the morning."

"Good night...Major."

"Captain- thank you for the visit. As you can see, I'm quite comfortable in my quarters. Sleep well."


End file.
